Versatile formations

[Lucky Colts Fan]

If the OLine is actually good this year, this offense has a lot of options as far as formations and play-types.  I think we have the personnel to be good at both running the ball, and passing downfield.  Especially if the Colts find a base formation that they can successfully run and pass out of.

 

Personally, I like a 2TE set with the 2nd TE being an eligible-tackle.  It probably looks like a run formation with 6 OLinemen, but with 2 good WRs and and good TE and HB that can catch out of the backfield, Luck has options.  Allen is a 3-down TE, he can block and catch.  Gore can run in between the tackles, and slip out and catch passes out of the backfield.  A quick receiver like TY or Dorsett, and a possession receiver like Moncrief for the 2 WRs, and you can go deep or run short hitches and crosses to get 1st downs.  Play-action could be killer out of this formation.  "Luck fakes the handoff, and finds TY, who got behind the coverage when they bit on the play-action.  80 yds for a TD on the first play of the game!!!"

 

That 6th OLineman has to be athletic though, and be able to catch the ball when it's thrown to them that one time per game.  I think Good would fit this role.

 

If Luck is playing out of the shotgun with 3 WRs all the time, we're going to see more of what we saw last year when he was getting hit because everyone knew it was pass.  We need to keep the defense guessing and keep those pass rushers on their heels.

 

That said, I don't think we need to get too crazy and start shifting ineligible players around to create confusion like the Pats did a few years ago.

[coltsfanej]

yea I think we can be good but it all depends on your first line. If the oline is good. On paper we look better. I'm excited to see what we got

[Smonroe]

5 hours ago, coltsfanej said:

yea I think we can be good but it all depends on your first line. If the oline is good. On paper we look better. I'm excited to see what we got

 

Yep.  When Manning had a good Oline our offense wasn't tricky or fancy.  Everyone knew what we were going to do.  We just did it better.  

 

Whats scary this year is that there are so many unknowns. On both sides of the ball.  We're counting on Kelly, and the right side of the line.  Dorsett, someone to step up at TE, Gore to play like he did last year.  Hardly any proven backups at any position. 

 

On D, we're counting on Robinson and Butler. Someone to step up at ILB, Mathis, and safeties to come through.  Again, hardly any proven backups.

 

This could be a great team or we could end up 8-8 again.

[LJpalmbeacher2]

16 minutes ago, Smonroe said:

 

Yep.  When Manning had a good Oline our offense wasn't tricky or fancy.  Everyone knew what we were going to do.  We just did it better.  

 

Whats scary this year is that there are so many unknowns. On both sides of the ball.  We're counting on Kelly, and the right side of the line.  Dorsett, someone to step up at TE, Gore to play like he did last year.  Hardly any proven backups at any position. 

 

On D, we're counting on Robinson and Butler. Someone to step up at ILB, Mathis, and safeties to come through.  Again, hardly any proven backups.

 

This could be a great team or we could end up 8-8 again.

 

Don't mean to be a negative nelly BUT we will not be a great team this year AND could end up under .500.

No crystal ball or anything like that just my opinion.

[Smonroe]

2 minutes ago, LJpalmbeacher said:

 

Don't mean to be a negative nelly BUT we will not be a great team this year AND could end up under .500.

No crystal ball or anything like that just my opinion.

 

Hate to see when you are being a negative nelly!

 

I get what you're saying, you could use all the examples I gave to support your opinion.  To further support your opinion you could also point out that every team in our division 'seemingly' improved.

 

However, I'm hoping our unknowns work out.  Mainly because of the new coaches.  Only time will tell.

 

[shakedownstreet]

6 hours ago, Lucky Colts Fan said:

Versatile formations

 

At first, I thought this might be the title of an instruction manual for young, experimental couples

[Superman]

When you have a good blocking TE who can also produce in the passing game, I prefer 11 personnel: 3WR, 1TE, 1RB. 

 

When you have two good TEs, even if one isn't a good blocker, I prefer 12 personnel: 2WR, 1TE, 1RB, which can mimic 11 personnel when you split a TE into the slot or out wide. We didn't use this package nearly enough over the last four years, IMO.

 

I would like to see those be our two most frequent packages moving forward. Heavy personnel should be used sparingly, IMO, unless you're on a roll with it, like vs. SF in early 2013.

[Smonroe]

36 minutes ago, Superman said:

When you have a good blocking TE who can also produce in the passing game, I prefer 11 personnel: 3WR, 1TE, 1RB. 

 

When you have two good TEs, even if one isn't a good blocker, I prefer 12 personnel: 2WR, 1TE, 1RB, which can mimic 11 personnel when you split a TE into the slot or out wide. We didn't use this package nearly enough over the last four years, IMO.

 

I would like to see those be our two most frequent packages moving forward. Heavy personnel should be used sparingly, IMO, unless you're on a roll with it, like vs. SF in early 2013.

 

I think you meant 2 TEs for the 12.  We ran that when Coby and Allen were healthy, but not enough because the line was so bad.

 

All of those packages are meant to highlight a mismatch.  It remains to be seen if the 12 can do that now.  The 11 should if our WRs and Oline are as good as expected.

[Superman]

19 hours ago, Smonroe said:

I think you meant 2 TEs for the 12

 

Yup.

[Lucky Colts Fan]

23 hours ago, Superman said:

When you have a good blocking TE who can also produce in the passing game, I prefer 11 personnel: 3WR, 1TE, 1RB. 

 

When you have two good TEs, even if one isn't a good blocker, I prefer 12 personnel: 2WR, 1TE, 1RB, which can mimic 11 personnel when you split a TE into the slot or out wide. We didn't use this package nearly enough over the last four years, IMO.

 

I would like to see those be our two most frequent packages moving forward. Heavy personnel should be used sparingly, IMO, unless you're on a roll with it, like vs. SF in early 2013.

 

I loved the 3WR sets with Manning.  Harrison, Wayne, and Stokely, oh and then Clark.  Teams knew the Colts were going to pass and still couldn't stop Manning out of the shotgun with 3WR sets.  We might see a reincarnation of this with Luck/Hilton, Moncrief, and Dorsett/Allen, with Kelly hopefully anchoring the line like Saturday did.

 

But even Manning said how much he loved having Marcus Pollard on one side, and Ken Dilger on the other.  I am expecting the pass protection to get better with Kelly at Center, but I really hope the OLine turns into a run-blocking machine.  Then that TE2 spot could either be Doyle or an extra Tackle like Good, Clark, or Haeg.  I'd rather leave Dorsett on the sidelines to do spell-duty for when TY gets gassed from all the deep routes he has to run to take the top off the D.  If you can rotate, and constantly have a guy like TY/Dorsett attacking a defense deep, that should help the run game/short pass game.

 

I'd love to see Manning-like stats from Luck and this offense, but as long as we're winning games, the more Luck hands the ball off, the better.  Let's see this Monster finally show some muscle, and run the ball down opponents' throats and play great defense.